1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a vehicle height control device for a motorcycle.
2. Related Art
A motorcycle preferably has a low vehicle height at the time of stopping such that even short riders can set their feet easily on the ground, as this prevents the motorcycle from falling down. On the other hand, the vehicle height of the motorcycle needs to be relatively high during travel from the viewpoint of a bank angle, a shock absorbing capability, and the like. Furthermore, in some American model motorcycles, etc., riders desire the low vehicle height at the time of stopping in terms of appearance.
Thus, a vehicle height control device for a motorcycle has been proposed as described in JP-B-H8-22680. The vehicle height control device includes a damper tube provided on one of a vehicle body side and an axle side, a piston rod provided on the other of the vehicle body side and the axle side and sliding through an oil chamber in the damper tube to extend and contract with respect to the damper tube, a hydraulic jack provided on one side of the damper tube and the piston rod, a suspension spring interposed between a spring bearing supported by a plunger inserted into a jack chamber in the hydraulic jack and a spring bearing provided on the other side of the damper tube and the piston rod, a hydraulic pump performing a pumping operation in conjunction with extending and contracting motion of the piston rod with respect to the damper tube to feed oil in the oil chamber in the damper tube to the jack chamber in the hydraulic jack and to discharge oil from the jack chamber, and a selector valve which is closed to stop the hydraulic oil fed into the jack chamber in the hydraulic jack and which is opened to discharge the hydraulic oil. The vehicle height control device enables the vehicle height to be controlled by extending and contracting motion of the piston rod.